Cylinder relief cock



Filed March 22, 1945 DANIEL A-LLCOTT KELLY AT TGRNEYS Patented Aug. 26, 1947 CYLINDER RELIEF COCK Daniel Allcott Kelly, Milwaukee, Wis., assigner to Prime Manufacturing Company, Milwaukee,

Wis.

Application March 22, 1945, Serial No. 584,081

2 Claims.

Thisinvention appertains to valves and more particularly to a cylinder drain cock for steam engines.

One of the primary objects of my invention is to generally improve the voperation and construction of automatic drain cocks for. the cylinders of locomotives of the type embodying a valve for permitting the ow of water through the cock and movable on its seat `to a closed position by steam pressure and a second valve for relieving the Ycylinder and cock of any high pressure which might'nevelop fromY water of condensation co1- lecting in the cylinder during-.the running of the engine. Y

Another salient object of my invention istheV provision of novel means for forming the casing of the cylinder cock for the reception of a removable strainer plug, whereby to electively prevent the movement of debris to the valves and seats of the cock. K

A further important object of my invention is the provision of a vertically disposed strainer plug arranged directly below the inlet connection for the cylinder and between the drain valve and the relief valve, so that the strainer plug will effectively function to protect both valves and seats from cylinder debris.

A still further object of my invention is the provision of novel means for mounting the drain valve and the relief valve in the cock casing, so that the valves can be easily tted in the casing and quickly removed for repairs, inspections and the like.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in the novel construction, arrangement, and formation of parts, Aas will be hereinafter more specifically described, claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which drawing: Y

Figure 1 is a top plan view of my improved automatic cylinder drain cock, parts of the view being shown broken away and in section. to illustrate structural detail.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view through the cock, taken on vthe line .2-2 of Figure 1, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Referring to the drawing in detail, wherein similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, the letter C generally indicates the improved automatic drain cock and the same includes the body or casing 5 which can be formed from any preferred or desired material. As is clearly shown in Figure 2, this casing 5 is of a substantially cruciform in 2 vertical section, for a purposev which will later appear. Y

This casing 5 is'provided witha vertical bore or passageway 6, and the upper end of saidbore or passageway is threaded as at 1 for connection with a drain pipe leading from the opposite ends `of an engine cylinder. The lower end of the bore or pasageway 6 is internally threaded as at 8 for the reception of a removable strainer plug 9 'which will be later described in detail. v

The body or casingS is provided with ka horizontal passageway It) which bisects the passageway 6 and one end of this passage removably receives companion valve seats II and I2 for a drain valve l3, and the other end of the passageway receives a valve seatwI 4Y for the reception of a relief valve I5.

Referring to the companion valve seats II arid I2, it will be noted that the same are arranged infacing relation relative to one another and form a cup or cage for the ball valve I3. The ball valve I3 rests normally by gravityv between the valve seats in an open position. Y

The passageway Ill is counter-bored for the reception of these seats as at I3 and a gasket I1 is ntted on the shoulder. formed by said counterbore. The inner valve seat I I is adapted to snugly engage this gasket.

In View of the fact that the valve I3 is normally held off of its seat by gravity, it can be seen that when the engine` is idle and there is little or no steam kpressure entering the cock C that any water of condensation entering the cock casing will flow past the valve and the seats II and I2.

However, upon the admittance of steam, the pressure thereof will move the valve I3 on the .seat I2 andhence loss of steam through the automatic drain valve is prevented. l

The valve seats I l and I-2 are rmly held in position ina novel manner, as now will be described.

A bonnet I8 is utilized for this purpose and the inner end of the bonnet snugly receives the reduced end` I9 of the outer valve seat I2. Ears 20 can be formed on the bonnet and studv screws 2| can be passed through these ears and threaded into the casing. Obviously, this-'will effectively hold the valve seats in position and permit the quick removal of the valve seats when necessary.

The bonnet I8 has formed directly therein a cylinder '22 and slidably mounted in this cylinder is an air-operated piston 23. Formed on or carried by the inner end of the piston is a plunger rod 24, and the bonnet is provided internally with an axial guide sleeve 25 for this plunger. A

`suitable packing 26' can be placed in the guide sleeve to prevent the passage of air under pressure from the cylinder 22 into the cock casing. A spring 25 is employed for normally urging the piston away from the inner end of the cylinder and the plunger 24 away from the ball valve I3. The outer end of the cylinder 22 is closed by a cap 21, and this cap has connected therewith an air conduit pipe 28. The flow of air through the pipe 28 and into the cylinder 22 is controlled by the engineer, and in case the Valve I3 sticks on its seat I2 then pressure can be admitted to the cylinder so that the piston 23 will move the plunger 24 into forcible engagement with the valve. This will also effectively permit the draining of the cylinder and the cock by the engineer when necessary or desirable.

By referring to Figure 1, it can be seen that the bonnet I8 is provided with a laterally extending drain outlet port 29 which communicates with the valve cock casing, and hence when the ball valve I3 is unseated, flow of iluid out of the casing is permitted.

It is to be also noted at this point that the valve I3 can be moved on its seat II by the plunger 24 when the engineers desires, for any reason, to shut off the flow of fluid through the cock casing.

Referring back to the relief valve I5, it will be noted that the same includes a valve head 30 and a stem 3|. This'stem is provided with radially extending guide ribs 32 which slidably engage the inner surface of the sleeve carried by the valve seat I4. Not only do these ribs form an effective guide for the relief valyafbutV alsfompermit thel flow of fluid past the stem.

The relief valve is normally held on its seat I4 by a relatively heavy expansion coil spring 33. The inner end of the spring enga-ges a rock disc 34 having a rounded nose 35 fitted in a socket 35 formed in the outer face of the relief valve. The outer end of the spring 33 engages a yoke 31. This yoke has extending therethrough headed stud screws `-38 which are threaded into the valve casing. Obviously, by tightening or loosening the stud screws, the tension of the spring can be increased or decreased. The tension of this spring is such as to normally hold the relief valve I on its seat under normal working steam conditions. .Howeven when excess pressure is developed from any cause, which is liable to cause injury to the cylinder heads, such excess pressure will overcome the tension of the spring 33 and allow the unseating of the valve.

The strainer plug 9, as is clearly shown in Figure 2, includes a cylindrical perforated body 39, and this body has formed on one end thereof an externally threaded head 40 for engagement with the internally threaded bore of the cock casing or body 5. This head can be provided with a socket for the reception of a suitable turning wrench. The perforated cylindrical body extends into the cock casing 5 and terminates directly below the inlet side of the casing. This strainer plug is located directly between the ball drain valve I3 and the relief valve I5, and hence uid flowing into the casing will of necessity pass through the strainer plug, and this plug will effectively catch debris from the cylinder and protect the seats both for the ball drain valve I3 and the relief valve I5. I lay great stress on the location and arrangement of the strainer plug in that the single plug functions to protect all of the valve seats and is admirably seated to permit the convenient removal thereof from the casing.

From the foregoing description, it can be seen that I have provided an automatic cylinder drain cock of exceptionally simple and durable construction, and one which can be maintained in -good working condition at all times.

Changes in details may be made without departing from the'spirit or the scope of this invention, but what I claim as new is:

1. In an automatic cylinder drain cock, in combination, a casing having a connection to a cylinder and an outlet to atmosphere, said casing being open at one end. a pair of abutting valve seat members removably supported in said casing between said outlet and said connection and inserted in said casing through said open end and closing said open end, the outermost of said valve seats projecting beyond the casing, a bonnet engaging the projecting portion of the outermostof said valve seat members, fastening members securing said bonnet to said casing in tight contact with saidv outermost valve seat member, a valve body arranged between saict/ valve seat members, said bonnetbeing provided with a cylinder, a piston -in said cylinder, a pllllgrrod carried by the piston for engaging the valve body, spring means normally holding the piston and plunger away from the valve body and an inlet connection for the cylinder for permitting the entrance of fluid under pressure into said cylinder.

2. In an automatic cylinder cock of the type having a drain valve anda relief valve, a casing having a central chamber located between the drain valve and the relief valve, said chamber being open at its top and bottom, said open Y top constituting an inlet for connection with a cylinder, and a removable strainer plug detachably fitted in and closing the open bottom and having its upper end terminating at said inlet, whereby fluid entering said inlet to the drain and relief valves will pass through said strainer plug.

DANIEL ALLCOT'I KELLY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 585,132 Stromvall June 22, 1897 645,722 Holmes Mar. 20, 1900 675,711 Brophy June 4, 1901 970,348 Osborne Sept. 13, 1910 1,935,285 Ayers Nov. 14,1933 1,974,274 Hopkins Sept. 18, 1934 2,004,097 Hollingshead et al. June 11, 1935 Re. 22,164 Gentzel Aug. 25, 1942 

